Comments on: Messines - Tunnellers and Mines

By: Janyne Beecham

Janyne Beecham — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 09:50:02 +0000

Hi there, I am after some information on the 1st Aust Tunnelling Coy, as my great grandfather Andrew Francis Beecham was there and I would like some infoemation on him. Thank you. Regards Janyne Beecham.

By: Robin Sanderson

Robin Sanderson — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:28:37 +0000

Can I get a copy of the notebook for Major Alexander Sanderson MC DSO CO of the 3rd Australian tunnelling? Please advise His grandson aged 57!!!!!

By: Robin Sanderson

Robin Sanderson — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:26:01 +0000

Dear Editor.
I was interested in mention of Major John Sanderson: he was my grandfather and I have suitcases full of old photos ,maps, diaries, cartoons,medals (see his decorations on the left of my website http://www.medalholder.com -MC with bar and DSO-my father Colonel John Sanderson’s medals-Burma 50 Para veteran- are on the right!)You can look up the action on Hill 70 on website googled ‘ hellfire corner’ article.Alex was the commander of the troopship home and his brother Lauchlan received the Croix de Guerre ,MC and led the procession of Australians on a white horse at the victory parade in London.I am currently working on a book about my family’s military history.Alex’s grandfather was a friend of George Stephenson and was a railway pioneer in India.
Incidentally my grandfather lived to 90 years and later was the chief engineer on Churchill’s whitehall bunker.When I have time I can see if I have reference
to Liz Turner’s grandfather ie ATC 2.Perhaps I could contact her directly?Could you ask if I could have her contact details.Thanks Robin Sanderson

By: Marnie

Marnie — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 23:44:24 +0000

i find this site very interesting and educative.
please send me more information.

Editor's comment: Thanks Marnie, I'm glad you've found the site interesting. All the information we have about the exhibition is already on the blog, so I don't have anything else I could send you at present. If you want more detailed information I suggest you look at the Official History, Volume IV, which covers the AIF campaign on the Western Front during all of 1917. You can find it at any decent library, and it's also available to read on the War Memorial's website here. For a more concise account, there's also Anzac to Amiens, chapters 19-21. This is also available online here. Regards, Craig Tibbitts

By: Liz Truman

Liz Truman — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 19:26:08 +0000

I enjoyed reading the article ‘Phantom Soldiers’ by Roy MacLeod. My grandfather William Perry was a sapper in the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company from Sept 1916 to 1919 and I have been doing some research on the company. On page 36 of the article there is a reference to the 2nd ATC, viz: “The 2nd ATC lost 89 dead, including twenty at a single blow at Hill 70 in November 1916.” As the 2nd ATC unit diary held in the AWM does not go back as far as Nov 1916 I would be interested to know about this engagement of theirs at Hill 70. The footnote to the reference refers to a notebook of Sanderson of the 3rd ATC. Can you enlighten me? Thanks.

Editor’s comment: Thanks for your comment Liz, I’m glad you enjoyed the article. While the 2nd ATC war diary does in fact go back to February 1916, for reasons unknown, this year’s diaries are quite incomplete (we only hold them for Feb, Mar, Apr & July). The notebook referred to in the article is that of Major Alexander Sanderson of the 3rd ATC. It’s a personal notebook in which he records those members of 3rd ATC who died during the war, but it makes no mention of anyone from 2nd ATC. I suppose the end note referred to the whole paragraph where MacLeod was talking about casualties for both companies. I can only guess the figure of 20 killed at Hill 70 was from one of the other sources mentioned in that end note. Have you checked Appendix 3 of Bean’s Vol IV ?

Cheers,
Craig.